Maximum Simultaneous Netflix Streams & Netflix-Ready Players

Miguel asked if there was a limit to the number of simultaneous Netflix streaming titles you could watch, and according to the Netflix website the maximum number of streams depends on your unlimited plan:

Some membership plans allow you to watch simultaneously on more than one personal computer or Netflix ready device at the same time. If you are on the 1 disc out at-a-time plan, you may watch only one device at a time. If you are on the 2 discs out at-a-time plan, you may watch on up to two devices at the same time. Members on the 3 disc plan can watch on up to three devices. The maximum is four devices simultaneously, and that is available for members on the 4 or greater discs out at-a-time plans.

I was able to get 3 Netflix-ready devices (Mac, iPad & Roku Player) playing the same episode of Mythbusters at the same time on a 6mb DSL connection:

There is also a limit on the number of Netflix-ready devices you can activate per Netflix account: 6. If you have more than 6 devices like me (I test a lot of different Netflix-ready devices), you can deactivate a device and enable a new one.

Comments

while Netflix "claims" there is a limit of one streaming device at a time, on the $9.99 subscription (which is what I have, plus extra for Blu ray) I've not ever had a problem streaming TWO movies simultaneously. I've had the service for about 3 months. tech support, in answer to my questions about simultaneous streaming, were careful to tell me that while they don't SUPPORT more than one at a time (on my plan), I would probably be able to stream more than one movie at a time, "most" of the time. In practice, like I said, I've not ever had a problem streaming to two devices.

dAVe, Comcast HSI should have no trouble keeping up with two HD streams from Netflix. As long as the devices have ethernet cable between them and your router, the movies should play smoothly. Not sure about 3 movies playing concurrently, as I've not tested that yet, but I would not be at all surprised if it works "ok".

I would have to question why anyone would have the need for more than 3 streams at once. 4 streams seems excessive to me. But one might think my 50 dvd usage per month from Netflix (on average) is excessive.

I use the one disc at a time plan and have been able to stream with more then one netflix ready device at a time, but I have noticed that it will not record the second title you watched in your previously viewed list it will on;y record the first one you started.

chris - the 4 streams would probably not seem excessive in a household with 3 teenage children. Or the Brady Bunch. I wonder if they would make Alice pay for her own account?

Mike, I would think as well as you've been running this site all these years you'ld be able to make a phonecall to somebody at Netflix and ask for an extension on that 6 device limit for testing purposes, especially as Netflix tries to get itself running on every device released.

I don't ever remember seeing the iPad show up on my Netflix "Managing your IW devices" webpage. I don't remember ever putting in an activation code for the iPad either - just my e-mail address and password. I wonder if the iPad even "counts" toward your maximum number of devices.

Allegedly my account has 6 devices maximum with 4 simultaneously streaming - however, I doubt any more than 2 devices are on at any one time. I'd think there would be bandwidth issues with any more than two simultaneous devices streaming in any case.

Needing a wired connection to your router for HD content is a myth. Every 802.11 standard has a high enough throughput to support HD streaming - even "B"! You could have the worst possible 802.11g connection - down to 11mbps or "low" - and you'd still support HD streaming. Your SNR and signal strength would have to be so insanely low for HD content not to work via a WiFi connection - I'm talking trying to transmit through a lead wall low, here.

Dunno why this myth is still so pervasive. You could quite literally triple the fastest readily available consumer broadband speed in the US and it still wouldn't saturate 802.11g - not to mention 802.11n at 40mhz.

I have a PS3 and three computers. So you think I would not have a problem with device numbers. Unfortunately, Netflix appears to not be counting devices but accounts. I have four kids and everyone has their own account on the 2 macs (with different limits based on age). So according Netflix's counting I have 14 devices when I only have 4. This is very frustrating to my kids and wife having to keep juggling devices. You'd think Netflix would be smart enough to figure that out. Grrr.....

BP, there is no "myth" about the problems of streaming HD content from netflix though one's house. Been there; done that. I can stream in HD when the router is sufficiently close to the devices, but when I put everything "back where it belongs", all the intervening walls and "stuff" between the router and devices causes the speed to drop to far for HD streaming.

It's best not to open your mouth when you don't really know what you are talking about. that's one of the vices of geeks--they think in terms of theory, instead of in practical, real-world results.

Or you could just be a technophobe who has no fucking clue whatsoever about what it is he's talking about. To wit, "my router can beat up your router!"

Do you say that 4G networks can't support HD streaming when you're standing in your bathroom and you've only got one bar instead of the five when you stand in front of your house? That's YOUR problem, NOT 4Gs.

LIKEWISE, your network's inability to cope with the rigors of drywall is YOUR problem, NOT 802.11(x)'s. What's more than likely is that a combination of factors - penetration of building materials, interference from dirty electricity and other radio waves, oversaturation of WiFi channels, poor implementations of the WiFi standard, cheap low quality NICs, etc - are what is leading to your WiFi streaming issues. Most of these can be rectified - easier and cheaper than running CAT5 everywhere, too.

That's the vice of engineers - they think in terms of solutions to problems instead of in whiny, crybaby, blame-the-(hardware/software/spec/blah) poor-me everybody-else-is-wrong-because-I'm-having-a-problem and I'm-the-only-one-who-matters ideologies.

The blog has a full of in formation which I have been looking for and not only this it also helps us in getting the correct facts and figures. The blogger has done a really good work in updating his blog. Keep it up

The blog has a full of information which I have been looking for and not only this it also helps us in getting the correct facts and figures. The blogger has done a really good work in updating his blog. Keep it up

I really liked your blog quite informative and interesting facts and figures you have discussed on your blog even the comments are very fruitful and helpful in enhancing the knowledge regarding the topic.